Name: Argentina labor protests erupt, workers oppose government reforms
Uploaded: 2025-12-19T02:49:30.376Z
Duration: 3 min 25 s
Description: Thousands protest in Buenos Aires over labor reforms - unions warn of setbacks for workers’ rights.

Thousands protest in Buenos Aires over labor reforms - unions warn of setbacks for workers’ rights.

Buenos Aires

Large crowds assembled in front of the presidential palace in Buenos Aires to protest labor reforms proposed by President Javier Milei. The demonstration was organized by the General Confederation of Labour, supported by various left-wing groups and social movements, all voicing strong opposition to the proposed changes.

Protesters argue the reforms would reduce existing labor protections, making it easier to hire and fire workers, alter working hours, and simplify severance pay. While the government claims these measures are necessary to boost the economy and reduce informal labor, unions and demonstrators insist the reforms threaten workers' rights and demand open national debate.

Argentina labor protests erupt, workers oppose government reforms

Let's get more on this and get over to Buenos Aires, where Teresa Boe is, and she joins us from among the crowds there. Teresa, people seem really angry about all this. Why have they got so riled up about these reforms? Well, I'm right here in front of the presidential palace, and there's thousands and thousands of people that have gathered here. This demonstration has been called by the General Confederation of Labour in Argentina. It's one of the most powerful, not only in Argentina, but in Latin America. And also there's left-wing groups, social movements, leftist parties, and many others. So this plaza right here where I am is completely full with a clear message for the government of Javier Millet. The government is now in what is known as extraordinary sessions, special sessions in Congress where it is hoping to pass a labor reform bill that most of the people here, all of the people here that we have spoken to are opposed to. They say that if this law passes, it would be like going back in time, going back to the 19th century, because it would take away many of the benefits that labor workers in Argentina have today. The government of Javier Millet is hoping, for example, to make it much more flexible to hire people, to lay them off, also the working hours or vacation. They also want, for example, to make it easier the severance pay. And this is something that concerns many of the people that we have been talking to here. And it's interesting to know that Argentina's labor unions are just not unions that are negotiating, for example, in a workspace. They're political actors. And right now, the message that they want to send the government is that if they continue to push for this bill to pass, they will be on the streets. Sir, I mean, Millet says these reforms are needed, but, you know, the thing is, if they're needed, there must be a reason why they're needed. So what is the problem he's trying to get to grips with? Well, Argentina has one of the most protective labor laws in the region, and that's why people are resisting many of the reforms that Javier Millet wants to pass. Millet came to power with a promise to jumpstart this country's economy. And since taking office, he has implemented one of the harshest austerity plans in this country's history, laying off thousands of state employees, reducing subsidies, among other things. And now he wants to pass this labor law, this new labor laws, that he says would help, in a way, end the informal sector, the labor in informal sectors. And people here are concerned that, in fact, it's going to be at their expense. So certainly lots of concerns on the streets. The business sector, however, continues to support Javier Millet, saying that transforming Argentina's laws are necessary, but for labor unions in this country. And as I said before, there are political actors here. They want to have a say in the agenda. They say that a discussion such as this one should be debated in the country. But that's clearly something that the government of Javier Millet does not want to do. Theresa, thank you so much, Theresa Bow, there from this massive protest taking place in the main square in Buenos Aires by the biggest labor union in Argentina.

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